Trinity 6
Pentecost 7
Sunday, 12/07/2026
SENTENCE FROM SCRIPTURE:
Your decrees are my inheritance for ever. (Psalm 119)
GREETING
Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
COLLECT FOR PURITY
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
SUMMARY OF THE LAW
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The first commandment is this:
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.”
The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Amen. Lord, have mercy.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
God is love and we are God’s children. There is no room for fear in love. We love because God loved us first.
Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.
SILENCE
God our Father,
we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil,
for the sake of your Son who died for us, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
ABSOLUTION
God, who is both power and love,
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by the Holy Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
GLORIA
sung by Sue St Joseph
COLLECT
O God,
you have prepared for those who love you
good things no eye has seen:
pour into our hearts such love of you,
that, by loving you in all things and above all things,
we may be worthy of your promises,
which surpass all we can desire;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen
PROCLAIMING & RECEIVING GOD’S WORD
FIRST READING
Genesis 25.19–34,
read by Annette Beagrie
19 These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, ✝ 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. 21 Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it is to be this way, why do I live?’ So she went to inquire of the LORD.
23 And the LORD said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.’ 24 When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. 26 Afterwards his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
28 Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30 Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!’ (Therefore he was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ 32 Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ 33 Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
SECOND READING
Romans 8.1–11,
read by Kate Lidwell
1 There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law – indeed it cannot, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
10 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
GRADUAL HYMN
GOSPEL
Matthew 13.1–9, 18–23
read by Rev Chris Wren
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St Matthew, chapter 13, beginning at verse 1
Glory to Christ our Saviour
1 Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. 2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone with ears listen! 18 Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.
23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’
Give thanks to the Lord for his glorious Gospel
Praise to Christ our Lord.
SERMON
Rev Chris Wren
Two weeks ago, we were in Gretna where St Matthew, earlier in these chapters of the Gospel was bidding us to consider our role as prophetic Truth speakers, People of righteousness and the ones who share their life to support the poor.
Last week we were in New Galloway where the passages immediately before this one we were asked to consider our own hardness of heart which moved Jesus to frustration. It bid us to consider living of the “little ones”—open, humble, receptive. the way of deep peace, knowing we are walking with Christ, carrying his yoke, living in his love. The way which
• recognises truth, even when it challenges us
• lives justice, even in small, hidden ways
• helps us become little—humble and open before God
• to offer, each day, our own “cup of water” in love.
Today we are moved on again.
We are asked to look at a very familiar story which we can miss the point of quite easily. We are invited to look at the different types of soil where seed is sown. Of course we are the soil and perhaps you can see yourself in some of the pictures that Jesus paints.
However, the point is for a gardener, that often the soil can be fertilised, re-turned, ploughed and changed to accept and cultivate properly the seeds which are planted there.
Jesus asks whether we are willing to re-shape our attitudes, a normal way of life to accommodate more fully just what Jesus is asking us to do: the will of God. Do we recognise our own attitudes to our faith and two listening to the will of God? Do we ever even think about it. Where is our life taking us and where is God trying to take us, or would we rather just follow the way that we feel we need to go?
I was at the funeral not very long ago where the closing music was ‘I did it my way’. God’s question is: was that also my way? Do you know the difference?
THE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one substance with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son,
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYERS
Dr Grant
Today Father we pray for the whole world and everyone that lives on earth. We pray for our legal system, our judges, courts, jury members, and everyone that upholds the law of this land. We pray for peace especially in the middle east, the troubles in Iran and Palestine and Israel. We pray lord that you send your spirit of peace amongst all those on both sides to help make world peace. Closer to home in Europe we pray for Ukraine and hope that the war will come to end. Lord, we hope that you help both sides to see the rights and wrongs and find love in your son, who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, we pray for those in need. We pray for those who are sick, hungry, feeling a loss or bereavement, and dealing with pain. We ask you to hold them up Lord, give them your wisdom and the gift of healing from your spirit. We take a moment to pray silently for those who hold a special place in your heart. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for Bishop Nick. He’s been in position for just over a year. Father we pray for our diocese of Glasgow and Galloway and we’re asked to pray for the Lutheran church of Finland, the Diocesan Makar Reverend Kirstin Freeman. For all churches in our diocese currently in vacancy, we pray, Lord, that you send in your discerning spirit, helping those to choose their priests to lead them in your word and ministry in the future. And finally, Lord we pray for our own church, praying for our vacancy committee, vestry and all those who minister in our church, we ask lord you guide them and direct them in your will. Not forgetting praying for our mothers Union group, praying for their concert, giving the organisers the strength and wisdom to deliver a great afternoon in your name. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, we pray for each and every one of our faiths, just like the parable in Matthew with the seed we need strong foundations to grow our faith. Lord give us your discernment, wisdom and fill us with your holy spirit to grow in faith like the seed grew in enriched soil. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father hear all these prayers today, spoken and unspoken, for we bring them to you through you Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.
Merciful Father accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Do not bring us
to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
BLESSING
Christ the Son of God gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
HYMN –
DISMISSAL
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen
